Conveying apparatus.



No. 630,805. Patented Allg. 8, |899.

E. S. DECKER.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application led Feb. 23, 1898.) (N0 MOGQL) 2 Sheets-Sheet .v

Patented Aug. 8, |899.

E. s. DECKER. CONVEYING APPARATUS.

(Application led Feb. 23, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

`Nu Model.)

71,947 uga/by s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EDVIN S. DECKER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STEEL CABLEENGINEERING COMPANY, OF MAINE.

CONVEYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,805, dated August8, 1899.

Application filed February 23, 1898. Serial No. 671,259. (No model.)

T all whom, t may concern,.- A

Beit known that I, EDWIN S. DECKER, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Conveying Apparatus, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing1o like parts.

This invention relates to conveying apparatus, and has for its objectthe production of a conveyer in which certain deficiencies of existingtypes shall be rectified, attention being paid more particularly to theprovision for increased facility of loading and perfect retention of theload throughout the run up to the desired point of discharge,withgreater adaptability for installation in diverse situaeo tions by reasonof flexibility in structural arrangement and economy of the materialnecessary in construction.

Of exist-ing conveyers the pan type offers the greatest advantages forloading, but is the 2 5 least retentive, even when provided withpartitions, discharge of the load following closely,

for example, upon transition from an upright portion of the run toahorizontal portion, and

but little relief has resulted from narrowing 3o the mouth of the bucketto retain the load,

necessitating the provision of wheels or track offsets, about which thepan is carried to effect discharge.V On the other hand, conveyers inwhich reliance is had upon gravitybuckets exclusively to carry the loadare of great utility so far as relates to their ability to retain theload both on tangent and curve.

It has proved difficult, however, to provide for continuity of loadingin conveyers of the 4o gravity-bucket type, and accordingly in my novelconveyer I have devised an apparatus in which will be found elements ofthe pan type and also swinging members combined and related in such amanner as to vest this invention with all the advantages to which I havemade reference above, While my invention has accomplished also anarrangement of parts and an application thereto of the cable principleof operation such that both in 5o cost of construction and operat-ion mynovel apparatus constitutes the most economical type of conveyer yetpresented.

The various features of Vmy invention will be illustrated and describedfully in the accompanying drawings and specification and set forth inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure l. is a View in side elevation cfa completedconveying apparatus in the construction of which'my invention has beenembodied. Fig. 2 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, of a portionof the conveyer at the bottom of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and et are views infront elevation and plan, respectively, of the conveyer-sectionsillustrated in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of 65 asingle detached bucket and pan-section of the preferred type.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention selected for description andillustrated in the drawings a number of pan sections or elements A areshown assembled to form a continuous oonveyer,the articulation of whichmay be and preferably is accomplished in a manner usual in theconstruction of conveyers of the pan type, in this instance the pansbeing illustrated as of a simple form, having each a bottom a, fromwhich rise sides a', integral with the bottom or joined thereto in anysuitable manner and arranged, respectively, to receive at their forwardends the rear end of the pan member immediately preceding in each case.vWithin the articulated pan conveying device formed thus is arranged tooperate a series of swinging members B movable with the pan conveyingdevice and so related thereto as to cooperate with the pan to receiveand carry theload at portions of the run. I have illustrated this seriesof swinging members as composed in this instance of a Well-known type ofbucket with straight sides b, curved bottom b', divergent lips b2 b3,and wide-open mouth, and as a simple and convenient method of securingthe cooperation of the pan conveying device and swinging members I haveshown the latter as 95 mounted pivotally directly in the sides of thepan conveying device, though I do not limit myself to such positiveconnection between the pan conveying device and swinging members nor tothe contour and details of con- IOO struction of either illustrated andto be described hereinafter.

When connected positively, as above indicated, it will be foundconvenient when the full capacity of the conveyer is to be utilized toprovide each pan-section with a swinging member, and I consider afavorable situation for the axial line of the pivotal connections c tolie between the center of gravity of each 'bucket and its mouth,preferably closelyT adjacent the latter, slightly to the rear of themiddle of the pan-section and so far removed from the bottom of the panas to permit the bucket to assume freely the position shown in Figs. land 2 and best seen in the latter, where the inner edge or lip b2 of thebucket lies snugly adjacent the bottom ct of the pansection. To promotestability in this position, I prefer to construct this lip of the bucketso that it will lie in substantial parallelism with the pan-bottom,avoiding thus any interspace for the lodgment of material, but leavingthe bucket free to swing away from the pan-bottom, as will be describedmore fully later. This form of construction answers admirably to limitthe range of movement of the bucket and hold its mouth in properposition to receive the load from the pan,but any construction suitablefor this purpose may be adopted.

The form of the pivotal connection may be varied as desired and foundsuitable, c designating in this instance a headed pivot-pin passingthrough a reinforcing bearing-plate c (see Fig. 5) on the pan side andprovided with a Cotter-pin c2.

The connection of the articulated conveyersections and the operation ofthe conveyer as a whole may be accomplished by any suitable means, but Iconsider the use of an endless connecting or operating member consistingof a cable as oering great advantages along the line of flexibility inoperation and adaptability to the varying requirements of diverseinstallations, so I have illustrated its application to my preferredform of structure and lay stress on the novel arrangement presented asan important feature of my invention.

The number of cables D used to form the operating member may be variedas desired and found suitable, and I have shown a pair parallel with thebottoms of the pan-sections, to which latter the connection with thecable may be made, as one convenient form of joining up the conveyer asa whole. Any suitable attachment E may be used, whether integral withthe pan-section or other conveyer member or separate, as illustrated,and secured by suitable fastening means, as the bolts e, (see Fig. 3,)the attachment in this instance being secured to the cable by aclamping-block e and fastening-bolts e2 in well-known fashion, theattachment having also extensions e3, integral, if desired and foundconvenient, to serve as journals for wheels or equivalent guiding meansF, coperating with tracks or the like directing or supporting devices HII', the contour and situation of which Will be governed by therequirements of the installation.

The operating member D and guiding devices F may be arranged in anysuitable relation, but preferably, as shown, in approxi- Motive powermay be derived from anyV suitable source (not shown) and communicated tothe conveyer in any suitable manner, as by the driving-sprocket Kengaging operatively with the attachments E in well known fashion.

I will now proceed to describe the operation of my novel apparatus asillustrated in an installation where by the requirements of thesituation loading is to be effected at a lower portion of the run anddischarge at an upper portion, and for this reason the vpan'is turnedinwardly to receive the load, although my invention, as will be readilyunderstood, is by no means restricted to inward presentation of the panand swinging members, since I am the first, so far as I am aware, tocombine in a single conveyer pan and swinging elements cooperating toproduce a unitary result. However, these elements may be presented tomeet the exigencies of a particular installation. In operation,therefore', in the instance illustrated the load is delivered from asuitable device, as the hooded chute M, into the upturned pan A, inwhich the pivoted swinging members B rest,.as shown in Fig. 2, withtheir lips b2 down against the pan-bottoms ct and their own bottomsturned rearwardly, the conveyer traveling in the direction of the arrow,Fig. l. As the loaded portion of the pan begins to turn up the lowerright-hand corner the load hitherto resting upon the pan-bottom beginsto settle back and finds an easy entrance into the buckets B overtheirlips b2 until, even before a true vertical shall have been reached,the load will have been transferred Wholly to the buckets. The reversecurve at the upper right-hand corner of Fig. l finds the load,accordingly, in the buckets or swinging members B, ready upon the changeof direction of the conveyer to assume under the forceof gravity anormal depending position to retain the load, and this may continue upto the desired point of discharge, which, discharge may be effected byturning the buckets sufficiently out of normal position by the use ofany suitable device, as the adjustable cam N, provided with a support 'nand controllinglever n.

The buckets may and preferably will have IOO IIO

projections or lugs b4, with friction-rollers U", preferably7 (sce Figs.L to 5,) to cooperate with the cam and facilitate tripping of thebuckets for discharge, or any suitable bucket-tripping device may beprovided, and, if desired, an additional guard-rail h at the upperrighthand curve may be provided to insure out- Ward swing of the bucketsas they round the curve, though the force of gravity will be sufficientnormally to overcome any slight cramping between pan and bucket.

The buckets Will preferably be arranged to approach the loading-point Malways in the abnormal position illustrated in Fig. l, and to effectthis suitable positioning means may be provided, the rail H2 servingthis purpose in the instance illustrated, cooperating with theprojections b4 in a manner which will be understood readily from thedrawings.

The advantages of operation presented by a conveyer of few parts andsimple construction, affording absolute facility for continuous loading,and permitting perfect retention and control of the load up to the pointof discharge will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and theirexistence in the apparatus disclosed herein will be perfectly apparentupon inspection of the drawings in connection with the specication.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

I. In a conveyer, the combination with a pan conveying device, of acooperating series of gravity-buckets, substantially as described.

2. In a conveyer, the combination of pan and swinging members,cooperating to carry the load, substantially as described.

The combination in a conveyer, of a series of gravity-buckets, and a panconveying device, movable together and to carry the whole load, each ata different part of the run, and means to enable transference of saidload from one to the other, substantially as described.

4. In a conveyer, a pan conveying device, and a cooperating series ofgravity-buckets, movable with, said pan conveying device, and means toenable transference of the load from said pan conveying device to saidbuckets, intermediate the points of loading and discharge of saidconveyer, substantially as described.

5. A conveyer comprising a pan conveying device and a cooperating seriesof gravitybuckets, adapted and arranged respectively, the former toreceive the load primarily and to transfer it to thel latter, and thelatter to receive from said pan the load and carry it to the point ofdischarge, substantially as described.

(5. The combination in a conveyer, with a pan conveying device, of aseries of gravitybuckets carried by said pan and cooperating therewithto carry the load, substantially as described.

7. The combination in a conveyer, with a pau conveying device, of aseries of gravitybuckets mounted pivotally thereon, substantially asdescribed.

8. The combination in a conveyer, with a pan conveying device, of aseries of gravitybuckets supported pivotally within, and from the sidesof, said pan conveying device, substantially as described.

9. Conveyingapparatuscomprisingan endless connecting or operating memberprovided with, and to operate, a pan conveying device combined with aseries of gravity-buckets, substantially as described.

10. Conveying apparatus comprising an endless cable provided with, andto operate, a pan conveying device combined with a series ofgravity-buckets, substantially as described.

Il. In a conveyer, a pan-section provided with a cooperatinggravity-bucket, substantially as described.

12. In a conveyer, an articulated pan conveying device having aplurality of sections, combined with gravity-buckets, cooperating Withsaid pan-sections.

I3. In a conveyer, an articulated pan conveying device having aplurality of sections, combined with gravity-buckets, one for, andcooperating with, each of said sections.

14. A conveyer member comprising a pansection, a gravity-bucket thereonrotatable about an axis near its mouth, said axis passing through thesides of said section at a region suitable to permit partial entry ofsaid bucket therewithin, substantially as described. v

l5. In a conveyer, a pan conveying device, combined with agravity-bucket, and means to cause presentation of said bucket inabnormal position for loading and discharge, substantially as described.

16. In a conveyer, a pan conveying device, combined with agravity-bucket so related and arranged with respect to said pan as topresent a lip adjacent the bottom of said pan to receive the loadtherefrom substantially as described.

17. A conveyer member comprising a pansection combined with agravity-bucket and having an attachment provided with guiding means,substantially as described.

18. Conveying apparatus, comprising combined pan and gravity-bucketmembers, an endless connecting or operating member, directing devices,attachments intermediate said members and operating member, and guidingmeans for said members, cooperating with said directing devices,substantially as described.

19. Conveying apparatus comprising combined pan and gravity-bucketmembers; an endless operating-cable; directing-rails; and attachments,intermediate said members and cable, and provided with guide-wheelscoperating with said rails, substantially as described.

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said buckets being free to assume a normal depending position as saidpan doubles upon itself in passing to the upper horizontal portion ofits run; and means to turn said buckets out of normal position todischarge the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my l2o name to this specieation inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN S. DECKER. lVitnesses:

ALEXANDER C. PROUDFIT, JOHN C. EDWARDS.

